


Trust

by general_galatea



Series: A Temporary End [1]
Category: Minecraft (Video Game)
Genre: Post-Manberg-Pogtopia War on Dream Team SMP (Video Blogging RPF), literally just brain rot, no ships purely platonic, theyre best friends your honor, this is how i deal with emotions
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-21
Updated: 2021-01-21
Packaged: 2021-03-13 03:34:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,088
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28896711
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/general_galatea/pseuds/general_galatea
Summary: TW: mentions of death, manipulation, blood (not explicit)Tubbo trusts easily. He always has. It's this trustingness that's cost Tubbo his own lives.It's either Tubbo or the discs.Tubbo trusts Tommy.
Series: A Temporary End [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2121429
Comments: 4
Kudos: 132





	Trust

**Author's Note:**

> this is how i cope with yesterday's emotions lol

Tubbo trusts easily. It’s in his nature. It doesn’t make sense to him, why someone would pretend to be on your side only to let you fall in the end. He’s been reminded countless times to stop trusting people. It’ll only bring you down in the end. But Tubbo keeps trusting people. Part of him  _ needs _ to trust someone, needs someone to rely on, someone to lean on. 

It’s this trustingness that’s cost Tubbo his own lives.

He had trusted Eret. The older man almost became a father figure to him. They’d farm together, mine together, build together, brew potions together. Eret would laugh at Tubbo’s jokes, whether they were good jokes or not. Tubbo trusted Eret.

That trust had led him to the Final Control Room. With barely any time to think, Sapnap’s axe had swung into Tubbo’s chest. The last thing Tubbo remembers seeing before waking up in his bed was Eret, standing tall and confident over them as the L’manbergians died around him.

After that, Tubbo had tried to be more cautious with who he trusted. When Schlatt had called him up to the podium, made him secretary of state, sent him after Tommy and Wilbur, Tubbo had kept his guard up. He made sure that there was no sort of dependence on Schlatt. Tubbo didn’t want to get betrayed again. So he played his part, acted the role of a spy, only letting himself trust Tommy and Wilbur.

When Schlatt trapped him in that sickening yellow concrete, Tubbo had looked up at where he knew Wilbur was standing. Wilbur had shook his head minutely. 

Technoblade had been called up to the podium. Once again, Tubbo looked to Wilbur. Again, Wilbur shook his head, mouthing reassurances at Tubbo.

_ He won’t hurt you. _

_ Technoblade’s on our side. _

_ Stay strong. _

Tubbo had trusted Wilbur. And he’d been torn apart by the firework that Technoblade fired directly into his chest. 

He’d resolved to only trust Tommy after that. So  _ much _ happened after that. Tubbo wanted to defend the nation he’d sworn to protect. He’d exiled Tommy at Dream’s command, terrified of the threat of having L’manberg boxed in and blocked off from the world. The only person Tubbo trusted had left.

Dream had taken advantage of that. He used Tubbo just as much as he used Tommy, claiming that they were friends, that they were on the same side, that he respected Tubbo. A lie, in the end, when Dream had taken them to the remains of the community house and blamed it on Tommy. When Tubbo and Tommy had stopped fighting each other-  _ no more fighting, I don’t want this anymore- _ Dream had rounded on Tubbo. He had called Tubbo stupid. Weak. Idiotic. The worst president L’manberg’s ever had.

And with the help of Technoblade and Phil, Dream had destroyed L’manberg.

Despite it all, Tubbo kept his trust in Tommy. He couldn’t stand to lose it, couldn’t stand to lose the trust that he’d held for so long.

_ It’s always been you and me against Dream. _

“I’VE GOT THEM!” Tommy shouts. “I’VE GOT THE DISC-”

Dream’s head snaps around towards the sound of Tommy’s voice. “YES!” Tubbo screams, his voice hoarse from exertion. Dream’s sword lifts from his as Dream takes a step back.

Tommy has a disc. And both of them are still alive.

Tubbo swings his sword with renewed vigor. Tommy needs to get the disc to an enderchest. The disc has to be secure before they can win. Which makes it Tubbo’s job to distract Dream. He brings his sword down at Dream’s neck, but Dream bats it away like it’s nothing, striding towards Tommy. 

No. If there’s one thing, Tubbo can’t let Dream do, it’s get to Tommy. 

So Tubbo fights. He fights like his life depends on it. He’s ridiculously outmatched, but he doesn’t care. All Tubbo has to do is buy Tommy time, give him time to get to an enderchest.

Dream’s sword bites into his arm and Tubbo yelps in pain, falling back. Dream swings again, and Tubbo turns tail and runs. One mistake and he’s dead. “Tommy, run, run with the disc, I can’t-”

There’s an enderchest about six meters away from Tommy. As long as he can get to it-

“Tommy,  _ stop. _ ” Dream’s voice is forceful and hard. “Stop. Both of you,  _ stop. _ Stand still.”

Every cell in Tubbo’s body reacts instinctively to the order and he freezes in place. “Why?” he demands.

“I haven’t used  _ any _ potions yet,” Dream hisses. “I have strength, I have turtle master, I have regen, I have  _ multiple _ god apples! I have my trident, I have tons of pearls, I have stacks of gapples, I have xp bottles- my armor’s broken?” He smashes a bottle at his feet. “Now it’s not. You’re going to  _ die. _ You’re going to lose, so listen.”

His eyes go past Tubbo, locking on Tommy. “Tommy. Just give me the disc. And I won’t kill Tubbo.”

The words don’t register in Tubbo’s mind. “You can’t kill Tubbo,” Tommy says. He sounds unsure. “We’re in full netherite.”

“I don’t care! I can chase him down-”

“Tommy, GO!” Tubbo shouts over Dream. “Get to the enderchest!”

Out of the corner of his eye, Tubbo sees Tommy make a break for the enderchest.

And then within a second, Dream’s on to him, sword slashing down. Tubbo shouts and ducks, attempting to strike back. Dream slashes at him again, a series of intense, furious blows, that just  _ doesn’t stop. _ Tubbo blocks or dodges some, but he can’t get to them all. The blade further opens the cut in his arm, slices into his calf, barely nicks his cheek, sinks into his shoulder, scrapes against Tubbo’s soft underbelly, opening far too many wounds. Tubbo’s pushed back to the cliffside, teetering over the edge. He can’t fight back, it’s too close-quarters, he can only defend and hope.

Dream swings again, and Tubbo yelps as he backs into empty air. At the last second he twists, barely hanging off the edge of the cliff. There. A ledge. If he can just get to it-

The sword raises high above Tubbo’s head, and Tubbo drops, Dream’s sword sinking into the stone where his head had been moments before. By some miracle, Tubbo lands on the ledge, and feels something in his ankle  _ snap.  _ “TOMMY! Tommy, he’s killing me-!”

Dream thuds down on to the ledge, not even a meter away from Tubbo. His sword glistens red.

Tubbo loses it.

“DREAM! Dream, please, please, Dream, please-” The words tumble out of his mouth before he can stop them, frantic and hysterical. “ _ PLEASE-” _

“He’s going to die, Tommy!” Dream shouts, lifting the sword. Tubbo screams and cowers back, arms raised in a futile defense. 

“ _ STOP!” _ Tommy shrieks. “STOP, STOP, STOP, STOP-”

Dream’s sword stops centimeters away from Tubbo’s neck. Tubbo lets out a choked sob, curling in on himself. “Listen, Tommy!” Dream shouts. “Tommy, I can kill him if I want to, I’m not even using potions!”

“Tubbo, where are you?” Tommy’s voice is full of panic.

“I’m down- I’m down where you were fighting-” Tubbo’s entire body is shaking. 

Tommy comes into view above them. Dream moves his sword closer to Tubbo’s neck. “Tommy, listen.  _ I can kill him if I want. _ This is your choice! I want you to choose, right now!”

“But you can’t!” Tommy stammers. “I- I have the disc, you don’t, alright?”

“Tommy, I still have one of the discs.” Dream’s sword grazes against Tubbo’s skin. “And I have Tubbo. Make your choice. Choose between your disc, or Tubbo.”

Tubbo barely dares to breathe. Tommy stands absolutely still, eyes fixed on Tubbo.

_ Please. Please, Tommy… _

Abruptly, Dream changes tactics. “You know I’m not going to kill  _ you, _ ” he says, his voice sweet and cloying. “But Tubbo…”

For a long moment, no one speaks. Then Tommy says somewhat desperately, “If I was to run away now and put it in an enderchest- how would you even kill Tubbo? He’s- he’s in full netherite…”

The cuts are starting to sting and Tubbo flinches. He’s in no condition to fight. Dream starts saying something, and Tommy catches Tubbo’s eye. They hold eye contact for a long moment.

Then Tommy disappears in a cloud of purple sparks. There’s the audible  _ click _ of an enderchest locking.

“YES!” Tubbo screams, despite the sword at his neck. “YES!”

“C’MON, TUBBO, WE HAVE TO GO-”

“It’s fine.” Above Tubbo, Dream is eerily calm. He doesn’t move. “I can still kill Tubbo.”

Tommy falters. “What-”

“Tommy, you can’t defend him!” Dream explodes. “You weren’t defending him before! I haven’t even  _ tried _ yet! I came prepared, I always come prepared- my armor’s full durability.” His voice takes on a tired, exasperated tone. “Just give me the disc. Tommy, you’re powerless. I can kill Tubbo, I can kill you if I wanted to- I won’t, but I can  _ kill Tubbo. _ I tried for ten seconds, and he was pleading in a corner, Tommy.”

Shame and guilt coils in the pit of Tubbo’s stomach at the words. He should have fought harder. He shouldn’t have given up so easily. Surely he could have done something else. Surely he could have changed this, made it so he was standing safely with Tommy, rejoicing in their victory.

Dream speaks sharply. “Tommy. I’ve given you way too much time. Make your decision. Tubbo dies, or you give me the disc.”

He pulls Tubbo to his feet, not bothering to be gentle. Tubbo kicks at him, and in turn, Dream catches a handful of Tubbo’s hair, yanking his head back. Tubbo struggles for only a moment before he feels the cold, sharp edge of a sword press against his exposed throat. “Ten,” Dream says coldly. “Nine. Eight.”

Tommy’s eyes are wild with panic. “Tubbo, what do I do?”

“Seven.”

“I don’t want you to  _ die.” _ Tommy’s voice cracks.

“Six.”

Tubbo closes his eyes briefly and steels himself. “Keep the discs.”

“What?” Tommy yelps. “Why, why-”

“Five.”

“It’ll be worth it.” An odd sense of calm washes over Tubbo. The discs are what Tommy’s fought for since the beginning. They’re what make him happy. When Tommy’s happy, Tubbo’s happy. “It’ll be worth it.”

“Four.”

“Why shouldn’t I-” Tommy starts to argue.

“Just keep the disc, I’m fine!” Tubbo yells over him. “I’ve done enough in my life, I’ve done enough-”

“Three.”

“I’ve done enough in my life!” Tubbo insists. Please. Tommy has to understand.

“No, TUBBO!” Tommy’s voice is thick with tears.

“I’VE DONE ENOUGH!” Tubbo’s voice cracks as well. “It’s fine, keep the disc-”

“Two.”

The blade presses deeper into Tubbo’s throat, drawing blood. Tubbo lets himself relax. Everything started with the discs. If his death means that the war can be over, then so be it. Tubbo’s willing to die if it makes Tommy happy. His life means nothing. 

Tommy’s blue eyes lock on to his, full of anguish. 

_ I trust Tommy. _

Without warning, Tommy vanishes from sight. Tubbo’s eyes widen as he realizes what Tommy’s about to do. “No, what are you  _ doing?” _

Right as Dream’s about to hit one, Tommy turns from his enderchest and thrusts the disc in Dream’s direction. 

Tubbo’s heart sinks. That’s not how this is supposed to go. He’s supposed to die. Tubbo’s supposed to die so Tommy can get his discs back. So the war can finally be over.

Dream lowers his sword, but doesn’t relinquish his grip on Tubbo’s hair. “Thank you,” he says calmly, a stark contrast to his tone only seconds before. “Wow. I didn’t think it would be  _ that _ easy. I mean, that wasn’t even the disc.”

He bursts out laughing and shoves Tubbo away from him. Tubbo stumbles, and Tommy catches him, hauling him up to the safety of the cliff.

_ What have we done? _

“That’s just how POWERLESS you are!” Dream yells. “THAT’S NOT EVEN THE DISC, I’M JUST  _ BLUFFING,  _ I’M JUST  _ PLAYING  _ WITH YOU! NEITHER OF THESE ARE THE DISCS, THESE ARE FAKE DISCS- DID YOU THINK I’D ACTUALLY BRING THE DISCS? ACTUALLY  _ PLAY _ THE DISC IN FRONT OF YOU? YOU THINK I DIDN’T LEARN FROM THE LAST TIME YOU GOT THE DISC? I’M NOT AN  _ IDIOT! _ You think I’m an idiot, you think I’m going to  _ play games _ with you-  _ I’m not going to do that!  _ I just want to show you how POWERFUL I am, how POWERLESS you are, because  _ you just gave me the disc! _ And it wasn’t even the disc! 

“I could’ve just let you walk away, but I’m  _ toying _ with you. I’m playing with my food. That’s the fun in it! But you’re going to listen to me.” Dream’s tone sobers. “You’re going to die. Because I’m not playing around now. So here’s what I want you to do.”

Dream’s eyes bore into Tommy’s. “Drop the Axe of Peace.”

“You’re not going to kill me.” Even to Tubbo, Tommy sounds weak. Unsure. 

“I’m not going to kill  _ you _ ,” Dream scoffs. In a single fluid motion, he brings his sword up to point directly at Tubbo’s heart. 

The Axe of Peace clatters to the ground. 

“Thank you.” Dream sounds pleased. He kicks aside a rock, revealing a deep pit in the ground. “Drop your stuff in the hole.”

Next to Tubbo, Tommy’s breath hitches. 

Dream looks at Tubbo. “Tubbo. Drop your stuff in the hole.”

“Tubbo, don’t-” Tommy starts to say.

The tip of the sword digs into Tubbo’s chest and Tommy lets out a sharp gasp of alarm. 

Then Tommy pulls off his helmet and drops it into the hole.

Slowly, Tubbo follows suit. First his sword. Then his helmet. His axe. Both gauntlets. The greaves. His bow. His pearls. Any remaining potions. It’s a bit more of a struggle to get off the chestplate, and Tommy loosens the straps for him. 

All of it goes into the pit.

Dream lights a single piece of TNT and drops it into the hole. It explodes unceremoniously. When Tubbo glances back at the hole, none of their belongings remain. 

Tommy makes a small, choked noise. He looks dazed, eyes wide and blank. Tubbo leans into him, partially out of need. His injured ankle is threatening to give out on him, and Tubbo shifts to keep his weight off of it. 

They’re weak. Defenseless. Dream could do anything he wants with them, and they’d be powerless to stop him.

“Alright,” Dream says. He sounds… satisfied. “I’ll take you to the real discs. Follow me.”

“Tubbo, stay close,” Tommy murmurs. “Stay really, really close.” Tubbo nods silently without protesting.

Dream takes off at a brisk pace. He doesn’t bother looking back to see if Tommy and Tubbo are following. He doesn’t need to. Dream’s beaten them, and he knows it. Tubbo leans heavily on Tommy as they walk, his ankle throbbing with every step. None of the cuts on him are life threatening. Tubbo’s shoulder is bleeding profusely, and he suspects there could be permanent nerve damage if it’s not treated soon. Dream knew exactly what he was doing when he attacked Tubbo.

_ If that’s what he can do when he’s not trying, not aiming to kill… _

They don’t stand a chance against Dream. 

At some point, Dream starts talking, almost absentmindedly. “Listen, you think that you can just show up and fight me and take back your discs. That I don’t have a plan, that I’m a fool, and you can just beat me in combat. That’s just not how it works. I’ve been one step ahead of you the entire time.”

“You are just pure evil,” Tommy says bitterly. “How do you sleep at night?”

Dream hesitates. “Just fine,” he answers smoothly before continuing his monologue. “Tubbo thought I was his friend, Tommy.” He snickers. “What an idiot. He thought  _ I _ was his friend. You thought I was your friend. You  _ both _ thought I was your friend. You know, I made sure no one showed up to your party. So you thought you had no friends but me.”

Tommy had a party?

“You told us you were our friend-” Tommy ducks his head. When he next speaks, his voice is quiet. “There’s- there’s a creeper.”

For the first time in a while, Tubbo feels a flash of fear at the mob’s name. Without armor or weapons, a creeper explosion could be lethal.

Dream turns and beheads the monsters, barely breaking his stride. 

It’s effortless for him. With his armor, weapons, and potions, Dream is easily the most dangerous thing within several kilometers. He’s the only thing keeping Tubbo or Tommy from dying to mobs. They’re completely dependant on him. Completely dependant.

“I’ve been one step ahead of you since the very beginning,” Dream continues. “Tubbo! The reason I have the discs is because I  _ framed _ Tommy, I blew up the community house and framed him-”

“You blew up the-”

“And you were dumb enough to give me the disc.” Dream shakes his head in mock disappointment.

_ It’s my fault. _

“You’re a psychopath, Dream,” Tommy hisses, straightening slightly under Tubbo’s arm.

“Huh.” Dream seems genuinely perplexed by this. “I wouldn’t say that.” He stands there for a moment, almost thoughtfully. “L’manberg’s gone, I have the discs, I have you two at my mercy…”

Tubbo’s ankle gives out, and he buckles against Tommy with a moan of pain. Tommy murmurs in concern, adjusting to accommodate for Tubbo’s weight and propping him up. Dream makes a disdainful noise. “Follow me.”

He swings his pickaxe into the side off the cliff, making both boys flinch at the noise. One more hit, and a portion of the stone crumbles away, revealing the cavernous space within the cliff. Dream walks in without hesitation. Tubbo eyes the opening with apprehension. He doesn’t trust Dream.

But he doesn’t have a choice.

Tommy helps him hobble through the opening. Dream waits inside, tapping his foot impatiently. “Get on here.” He gestures at the blackstone platform next to him.

“Is this a trap?” Tubbo asks dully.

“How do we know we’re not gonna die?” Tommy pipes up.

Dream waves his hand dismissively. “I could just kill you. Get on.”

Tommy doesn’t move. Tubbo does, breaking free of Tommy to limp over to the platform. There’s no point in resisting. He stands dociley on the platform, trying to balance his weight in a way that won’t hurt. Tommy makes a soft, choked noise. “Tubbo, why did you just get on?”

Tubbo looks up at him. “I mean, at this point we’re dead either way, goodbye.”

No point in resisting. Dream’s threatened to kill him so many times, Tubbo doesn’t doubt that he’ll do it. In all likeliness, Tubbo’s fate had been sealed the moment he raised a sword against Dream.

“Tommy.” Dream’s voice is soft, menacing. “Get on.”

Tommy gets on the platform.

And the platform starts descending, inching deeper and deeper into the cliff. Tubbo can’t help but admire the redstone contraption. If he has to die, at least he got to see this.

Dream turns to face Tommy. “Listen, Tommy, ever since you joined the server, you’ve been a headache. You’ve brought war, you’ve brought terrorism, bad  _ everything.” _

The platform descends into a space even more cavernous than the last one, a blackstone hall larger than anything Tubbo’s ever seen before. A soft gasp of awe slips out of Tubbo’s mouth at the sight of it, and he hears Tommy let out a similar exclamation. 

“But,” Dream continues. “The cause of all the war, of everything, is  _ attachment. _ Your attachment to the discs, your attachment to Henry, to pets, to friends, to land, to countries, to items.”

The platform has reached the bottom. Tommy makes to step off, and Dream holds up his hand. “Sit still, for a second. That’s the one good thing that you’ve done. You brought attachment to the server. It took me a long time to realize how important attachment was, but when I did…” Dream spreads out his hands. “It made me stronger. It made me realize you’re  _ important. _ Come. Come look. Come see your discs- your discs are right here.”

This time when Tommy steps off the platform, Dream doesn’t stop him. Tommy moves almost like he’s in a trance. “My discs… there’s an enderchest right there.”

Dream shrugs. “You could take the discs. You could put them in an enderchest.” He steps closer to Tubbo. “Of course, I wouldn’t do that if I were you, because then Tubbo would die.”

There’s a sinking feeling in the pit of Tubbo’s stomach. Has Dream…

Dream remains close to Tubbo while Tommy walks towards the other disc. “Ever since I figured out attachment was on the server, I  _ cut _ my attachment. I blew up my house, I lost my friends, I lost my items, my crossbow, everything. I cut everything, because I realized that’s what gives people power over each other. You’re here because I have these dumb little items.  _ I don’t want to be controlled. _ So I cut everything. I lost everything.

“I had to lose everything to gain everything.”

“You haven’t gained anything,” Tommy murmurs. 

“If I can control the things that people are attached to, then I can control the server again!” Dream shouts. There’s a wild, crazed note in his voice now. “Because this isn’t  _ Tommy _ SMP or  _ Tubbo _ SMP, it’s DREAM SMP! So I can control the server, if I have everything that everyone cares about, that everyone’s ever cared about, I can control  _ everything!” _

He strides towards a passageway jutting off from the side. After a moment’s hesitation, Tommy follows him. Tubbo trails behind them. His ankle is numb now. 

Tommy stops in his tracks. “What-”

“I have a spot for everything,” hisses Dream. “Everything that anyone ever cared about on this server.”

Both boys take it in in silence for a moment. Then Tommy whips around to face Dream. “You’re a fucking psycho!”

“I’m not a psycho! Everything I do is deliberate.” Dream takes a deep breath. “I need control.”

Tommy’s voice rises. “Why, why, this isn’t FAIR-”

“You’re right! It’s not fair!” Dream snaps back. “It’s my server! You’re right, it’s not fair, but Tommy, listen. I need you. I need you to continue bringing attachment. Without you, people weren’t attached to things. But then you came, and you brought friendship-” his eyes flicker over Tubbo- “and countries and things people can be attached to. You brought that. You’re the  _ key.  _ You’re the key to unlocking the full potential of the server, and power, and  _ everything _ . But I can’t kill you.”

If he can’t kill Tommy, then-

“I constructed a prison.” Tubbo can practically hear the smirk curling under Dream’s mask. “It’s inescapable. Can’t get out.”

“You’re evil, Dream,” Tommy says. He shakes his head, moving closer to Tubbo. “You’re a monster.”

“Evil is in the eye of the beholder,” Dream says calmly. “You’re evil to me. You came into the server thinking that you’re a hero.” 

Tubbo wobbles on his feet, bracing himself against Tommy. The movement draws Dream’s attention to him, and Dream stares directly at Tubbo. “Tubbo. I’m going to lock Tommy away forever! I need him alive, but that doesn’t mean he has to be  _ free. _ Exile was perfect. The only problem was,” Dream turns back to Tommy, “you could escape. And you did. You left and you ruined it, it was going to be perfect until you left. But the prison? It’s perfect.”

“No.” Tommy shakes his head, and Tubbo can sense his desperation. “No, you can’t lock me up, you can’t, you can’t-” He snatches the Axe of Peace up from where Dream had deposited it against the wall. “I’ll fucking kill you. I’ll kill you.”

Dream sighs and swings his sword at Tubbo, stopping it just before metal meets flesh. Nevertheless, Tubbo flinches back with a cry of alarm. “Tommy!” Dream yells. “I need  _ you  _ alive! I DON’T need Tubbo!”

Tommy goes still as Dream continues to yell. “Listen, Tubbo isn’t  _ fun.  _ Tubbo’s a  _ pawn. _ He’s a follower. I’ve used him as much as I can, but-”

_ You’re just a yesman, Tubbo. _

“TUBBO’S NOT A FOLLOWER!” Tommy shouts, lunging forward. “He was the last president, he’s not a fucking follower-”

“Yeah, president,” Dream mocks. “Second to Quackity, Ranboo, Fundy, everybody who told him what to do. I’ve already been over this! Tubbo’s a follower, he’s always been a follower-”

“HE’S NOT A FUCKING FOLLOWER!” Tommy’s shouts are growing more desperate by the second. “You need Tubbo just as much as you need me!”

“I don’t need Tubbo at all.” Dream’s voice is eerily calm. “Tommy, you want to be a hero. And every hero needs an origin story. Batman had his parents. Spiderman had Uncle Ben. You have Tubbo.”

The words confirm what Tubbo’s suspected since he first got on that platform.

Dream really intends to kill him.

It doesn’t register immediately with Tommy. Tubbo watches the realization dawn on Tommy, and Tommy’s face twists into a feral snarl. “No. Absolutely  _ fucking _ not. No.”

Dream hums. “Tommy, I want to give you your chance to say goodbye. You’re going in the prison-”

“No, I’m not gonna say goodbye, we’re gonna  _ fucking  _ get out of here, alright?” Tommy steps back, shunting Tubbo back as well. “Every time-”

“You’ll get out of here,” Dream corrects. “You’ll get out of here.” His gaze slides to Tubbo. “It’s Tubbo’s time to go.”

_ He’s going to kill me.  _

_ I’m defenseless, I have nothing, I’m injured- _

Dream’s figured it out.

“Are you being serious?” Tommy’s voice shakes. 

“Yes.”

“You can keep the discs,” Tommy says immediately. “You can keep them both, and me and Tubbo will go.”

“Tommy, I don’t care about the discs,” Dream sighs. “I care about power. And Tubbo? Tubbo’s a pawn. Just say your goodbyes.”

“What the fuck, no, FUCK YOU-” Tommy shakes his head wildly.

“TOMMY!” Dream’s voice turns sharp. “You’re gonna miss out on your chance to say goodbye to your best friend! I’m not kidding! I’m going to KILL HIM, I’m going to kill him in the next minute-”

“You’re not going to, you’re not going to, YOU’RE NOT GOING TO-”

“Listen,” Dream says harshly. “You have to accept it. Deny it all you want, but then you lose out. He’ll die, and yu’ll regret forever that you didn’t say goodbye. So  _ say your goodbyes.” _ He turns his back on the boys and walks to the other end of the room. 

Tommy grips Tubbo’s shoulders, heedless of the blood. “He’s not going to kill you. He’s not gonna  _ fucking kill you _ , he needs me- you’ve seen him decieve everyone, you’ve seen him kill us- we make a break for the portal, we run and we head for the secret portal on the exile base-”

“We’ll be dead before we get to the portal,” Tubbo says flatly. He gauges the distance in his mind and shakes his head. “Too much of a distance.”

Tommy’s eyes brim with tears. “Wha-”

“It’s alright.” Tubbo shrugs. “We had some laughs, it was fun while it lasted.”

“Why are you just  _ accepting _ it?” Tommy’s voice is thick from crying. “Don’t just accept it now, Tubbo, we don’t accept defeat-”

“We’ve been backed into a corner,” Tubbo observes. He feels detached, removed from the situation. Like he’s watching it play out from behind a glass window. “There is nowhere to go under. There is nowhere to go up. We will be dead before we get to the portal. We can’t mine out, we have no pickaxes. It’s fine.” The clicking of pistons catches his attention and Tubbo watches as the platform rises back into the ceiling. “Well, there goes our lift out. And that was the only other option. I… yeah. It’s over.”

He looks back at Tommy, smiling sadly. “We had some laughs. It was fun. You know, all good things must come to an end eventually. I just didn’t think that this would be my- my coming-to-an-end.”

“Tubbo, wha- what am-” A sob cuts Tommy off. “What am I without you?”

“Yourself.”

Tommy goes quiet. “So you’re really- are you accepting this?” His voice cracks.

Tubbo thinks for a moment. “Y-yeah. It’s- it’s alright, it’s alright. Hey, we said our goodbyes before, at the start. Who knows what happens when I’m dead?”

“Yeah, but we were optimistic, and joking, and-”

“We got backed into a corner.” There’s no point in denying it. “He described me as a pawn… this is checkmate. This is it, this is the end. I- I suggest you resign.”

“Tubbo?” He sounds uncharacteristically serious. “I’ve always regarded you as my sidekick, but really, Tubbo… I was your sidekick.” Again, Tommy’s voice breaks. “Please don’t go.”

“It’s fine,” Tubbo insists gently. 

He takes a step towards Dream, waiting on the other side of the room. Tubbo isn’t really scared of death. He’s died before, although he’d respawned seconds later. He doesn’t remember either time, blank, empty space where the memories should be. All he remembers is waking up in bed. Ghostbur talked to him about permanent death once. He said it didn’t hurt for more than a second. 

Tubbo can feel himself shaking. He doesn’t quite know why. After all, he’s accepting his death. It’s fine by him. Tubbo’s content to die if it means Tommy can live.

_ I trust you. _

Dream looks down at Tubbo. Distantly, Tubbo wonders how he’s going to do it. Is he going to make it quick? Or will he drag it out, make Tommy watch?

Tubbo doesn’t want Tommy to watch. 

For a long moment, nothing happens. 

“Punz?” Dream asks suddenly.

The abruptness of the question takes Tubbo by surprise. He glances sideways and sure enough, there’s Punz. Standing in the portal.

_ What’s Punz doing here? _

“Sorry, Dream.” Punz shrugs. “But you should’ve paid me more.”

And people start pouring out of the portal.

Sam. Puffy. Hbomb. Anfrost. Jack. Eret. Bad. Ponk. Ranboo. Callahan. Even Niki, even Quackity, even  _ Sapnap. _

“You came,” Tommy breathes, his voice colored with relief. 

They came? What does that mean? Why did so many people suddenly come through the portal? What-

Tommy seizes Tubbo’s elbow, dragging him towards the crowd. “Tubbo, Tubbo, over, Tubbo, behind the crowd, behind the crowd-”

“Hey. Hey, hey, hey-” Tubbo turns towards the sound of Dream’s voice just in time to watch Sapnap shove him hard in the chest.

“Dream, step away from them.” Sapnap’s voice is a low, deadly snarl. 

That’s when it dawns on Tubbo. They’re here to protect them. To protect Tommy. To protect  _ him _ . Protect them from Dream. 

They’re safe now.

**Author's Note:**

> ngl i speedran this with very little proofreading
> 
> yesterday's streams ripped me apart
> 
> join me in the pain :')
> 
> i might write more, but it won't be an actual story with plot, more like my brain rot


End file.
